The invention concerns sprinkling devices of the type comprising an oscillating sprinkler element which pivots about an approximately horizontal axis alternately in one direction of rotation and the other in response to the rotation of a rotary driving element by the pressure of a sprinkling liquid in one direction of rotation or the other. The oscillating sprinkler element has one or several parts which cooperate, at the end of rotation in each direction, with means for controlling the change of direction of the rotary driving element. Such devices are useful for sprinkling various liquids, such a water, manure, pesticide and so on.
In known devices of this type, such as those described in French Pat. Nos. 2,034,814 and 2,112,881, the rotary driving element is alternately driven by either of two jets of sprinkling liquid issuing from either one of two fixed pipes suitably directed towards the rotary driving element. The inlet orifices of the two pipes are connected to a chamber containing the liquid under pressure; opening of these orifices is controlled by a double clapper arranged so that one orifice is open while the other is closed, which allows the liquid to flow in only one of the pipes at a time, then in the other. The oscillating sprinkler element includes parts which, at the end of rotation in either direction, act on control means actuating the double clapper. For such devices to operate correctly, it is necessary for the fluid-tightness of the clapper to be relatively good so that the sprinkling liquid flows, at a given instant, in only one of the pipes, the other being closed. If the fluid-tightness of the clapper is faulty, liquid will flow through an orifice that should be closed and oppose rotation of the rotary driving element.